Euthanasia of healthy shelter animals is a sad and common occurrence across the United States. Animals that could have found a home are given a death sentence instead. To add to this disturbing information, most of these animals die by the use of carbon monoxide in a gas chamber and intracardiac injections, which are extremely horrific, cruel and totally unacceptable, inhumane methods.

Euthanasia should only be conducted if an animal is deathly ill and it is the only viable option that exists after all other avenues have been exhausted, that is, it would be considered inhumane to prolong the life of that animal.

However, if it is deemed that this is the only option remaining, then killing them in the gas chamber, heartsticking or any other cruel and inhumane measure of euthanasia can no longer remain an option.

In their final moments, animals experience high levels of distress, pain and extreme anxiety for a prolonged period of time before they actually lose consciousness by way of the gas chamber.

Stuck in this well-lit gas chamber (sometimes with other animals), clawing to escape, screaming for help, biting at each other and gasping for their last breath, the animals die slowly, painfully, panicked and completely distressed. Does that sound humane to you?

I support a no-kill nation for animals in shelters and believe that we must move away from the mentality that animals are at all disposable. The definition of shelter is haven or refuge, not a place where animals that go there should be afraid for their lives and experience euthanasia as the norm.

If it is deemed that an animal is beyond medical care and there is no other alternative but euthanasia, then gassing and intracardiac injections must not be allowed as one of those options. These are both extremely inhumane methods of euthanasia.

A more humane way to end their life, is EBI or intravenous (IV), which when done properly, while being held in loving arms, and with dignity, can be much quicker, painless, and less scary. Using this method, the animal loses consciousness quickly as opposed to gas chambers where there are accounts of animals taking up to 40 minutes to die. Studies exist to show that carbon monoxide is also a more expensive means of euthanasia than EBI (euthanasia by injection) for those that might have cost effectiveness as their main concern.

Animals need our help today to protect them and to truly provide them shelter. We have betrayed their trust and we are not taking care of them. We must end this terribly inhumane practice of killing them, when we know they could otherwise be adopted and live their life as intended.

We, as humans, have a responsibility to take care of those who are not in a position to take care of themselves, don't we? After all, we are the ones carrying out their care and providing them this so-called shelter.

It’s bad enough that some unfortunate animals are subjected to neglect, extreme cruelty, and abandonment, but to then be sentenced to live their final days hoping to end up in a loving home, only to end up being killed is unbearable to think about any longer. We must take action now to stop the killing, and the use of the 'deathbox', the 'heartstick'. We must stop the killing of animals in any way from being options in our shelters.

All shelters across the United States can be transitioned into being no kill. We need to lose the mentality that nothing can be done in order to find them a home and step up our adoption and education efforts immediately. There are plenty of organizations and individuals ready and eager to support any and all efforts to make this happen.

There are many no kill sanctuaries that are in existence today because many people were sick and tired of seeing our animals needlessly being killed, and they took action. They are to be commended and supported in their on going efforts.

Please do something today to help implement this much needed change, and help us put a stop to the killing of our shelters animals across the United States of America.

Letter to

Illinois State RepresentativeMarcus Evans, Jr.

President Barack Obama, President, United States of AmericaMr. Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture